Jolene
by Contorted
Summary: A new passenger makes a beeline for Data and Tasha does NOT like it. There will be romance some time or another. DataXTasha and slight DataXoc
1. The conversation

Sometime during the first season. OC based on the song "Jolene", by Mindy Smith. The other characters and setting belong to Paramount.

* * *

A young girl strode down a hallway to her first assignment. She was 24 years old, with brown eyes, a spray of freckles, and shoulder-length orange hair that bounced with each step.

She had just graduated the academy and was headed towards Dr. Beverly Crusher's Office, when her eyes caught a tabby-colored cat slinking against the wall.

The cat looked at her and walked a little fasted. Suddenly, having been staring at the cat, the girl accidentally slammed in to someone.

"I'm sorry!" She pleaded as the man who she'd walked in to helped her up.

Her lips quickly formed a beautiful smile, as she picked up the bowl of mush that the man had been carrying. "What's your name?" she asked, handing the bowl over to him.  
He took the bowl and replied.

"I am Lieutenant Commander Data. Spot, my cat, has escaped from my quarters again. This cat food is in the hopes for luring him back." He stated. "What is your name?"

The girl blushed. "Jolene Charter. I just graduated from the academy, so this is my first assignment."

Data inclined his head. "Most interesting. What do specify in, Miss Charter?"  
Jolene looked down and to the right. "Medicine. I was very interested in what makes human and other races tick, and it guided me for the next few years. Oh, and please call just call me Jolene."

Data nodded. "Did you chose to be on the Enterprise?"

"Yes. One of my best friends boarded your ship a few days ago, and told me it was wonderful to be here, so I took her advice and requested the Enterprise over the first officer position at the U.S.S. Ataraxia."

"I'm interested that you were offered a high ranking position."

"My scores were exceptionally high, not that I'm one to boast."Jolene shifted from foot to foot in a noticeable fashion. Data took the hint.

"Intriguing. You have duties to attend to, correct?" He asked.

Jolene nodded and steadied her gaze on the floor. "Yes, I'm supposed to be at medical at 0700 hours. is expecting me."

"I see."

She looked up once more in to Data's eyes.

"Could we, perhaps, meet in ten forward when we're off duty? If I'm not mistaken, we're on the same shift," she said.

"I believe so, Jolene. I will be seeing in Ten forward, then?" Data asked.

"Yep! See you there!" She said, waving.

In the background, the was someone who was just turning the corner, someone who had picked up the entire conversation.

She had stood, frozen, listening the entire time.

Her name was Tasha Yar.

* * *

Please tell me how you liked it! I have the next chapter ready to go, if you guys want me to post it. I put a lot of time and care in to this, so please. If it's NOT acceptable, just tell what's wrong, and I'll fix it.


	2. Stupid stupid STUPID!

Sorry I'm so darn slow! I actually had it written by the time the first chapter was posted, but my mom decided I was spending to much time on the computer and not in the real world, so I was grounded for a few weeks. I apologise once more. Oh, and I don't own Star Trek. They say paramount owns it, but doesn't Mr Roddenberry?

* * *

Tasha hunkered over her station, dwelling more on her personal situation than the situation at hand.

It wasn't as if she was really supposed to be doing anything anyways. It had been a fairly good day.

No run-ins with romulan warbirds, no space anomalies shutting down the warp core, no visits from Q. Everything except for the conversation she had heard on her way to the bridge, between Data and Jolene Charter, one of the most recent graduates from Starfleet Academy.

Jolene obviously had a huge crush on Data, and it infuriated Tasha for a reason she could not quite put her finger on.

She and Data were only friends, maybe good friends, but still friends none the less.

Her eyes hovered on Data, who was working at his post at the front of the bridge.

There was no logical reason she should be angry; she just _was_.

Tasha couldn't understand why Jolene was acting around him, as if he wasn't an android .

_Either Jolene is incredbly stupid_, Tasha thought, _Or she has some other reason._

"Lieutenant!"

Tasha snapped to attention.

"Your shift ended a few minutes ago. Is something troubling you?" Captain Picard asked.

"N-no, sir. Sorry."

She tried her best to act dignified as she walked in to the turbo-lift.

"Deck 4," she ordered.  
A few minutes later, the doors whooshed open. Tasha started to walk out, but hesitated. She stepped back in. "Deck 7."

* * *

Tasha stopped in front of Jolene's quarters and pressed the "Doorbell", as she secretly called it.

Several minutes passed.

_What is she doing in there?_ Tasha wondered.

Finally, the doors opened to Jolene's beautiful face.

Jolene started to say something, but Tasha held her hand up.  
"Jolene, I need to talk to you."  
Jolene stared at her for a few seconds before answering.

"I-of course, please come in."

Tasha did just that, and followed Jolene in.

"May I ask you your name? I'm not sure we're acquainted." Jolene asked.

"I'm sorry. I should have done that first. I'm Tasha Yar."

"Well, nice to meet you. What can I help you with? But please, make it fast. I have to be in Ten Forward soon."

Tasha's face fell in to a serious expression.

"I know. I couldn't help overhearing the conversation you had with Data."

Jolene frowned a little. "Why are you so interested?"

Tasha thought fast. She hadn't thought about _what_ she would say.

"The, um, the way you were acting. You know he's an android, right?"

"Tasha, I sincerely don't think you're telling the truth. You wouldn't have come all the way here JUST to tell me he's an android."

_This is bad_, Tasha thought. _I didn't think she was actually smart.  
_

"Are you two involved with each other?" Jolene asked, a concerned expression on her face. _This was a HUGE mistake,_ Tasha mentally screamed.

"No, I- uh, WAS telling the truth, you were acting like, uh, you thought he was human. I guess you have to go now. Bye!"

Tasha almost ran out of Jolene's quarters without giving her a chance to reply. She quickly found her way to the turbolift. "Deck 4," she said. It took all of Tasha's will power to keep herself from whacking her head off.

**"Stupid stupid STUPID!"**

* * *

A little silly, but I'm just trying to get to the good parts. **In all truth, I'm making it up as I go.** It will be better! And by all means, I'm open to suggestions.


	3. Ten Forward Assessment

Ok, I kind of dropped this story when I first started writing it, so I'm going to bring it back now. Please, tell me how you like it! Love you forever, -Gogglette

---------

Jolene rushed in to Ten Forward, unfortunatly several mintutes later than she intended.

she couldn't get the strange girl off her mind- Tasha, her name was.

She was so different then her friends back on the Ataraxia, with her rather blunt way of speaking and obviously un-planned words.

Jolene shoved it out of her mind and quickly located the table where her new friend sat.

"Data!" She exclaimed happily, sitting down across from him.

"I'm _so_ sorry I'm late," she gushed in a frenzied attempt to apologize.

"A girl came to my quarters and started babbling just when I had to go. Most of it," She paused and giggled. "Was about you, Data!"

Data frowned. "Who was the girl?"

Jolene waved her hand in a dissmissive fashion. "Oh, I can't recall the first name, but she said her last name was Yar, or something like that."

"Tasha Yar?"

"Yes, that's the one."

"I do not want to seem rude, but what did Liuetenent Yar have to say about me?"

Jolene frowned, wishing the conversation could be about something other than that girl, but answered him politly.

"She said she had overheard our conversation earlier, and that she thought I'd been acting as if I thought you were, well, a human.

She didn't seem to have thought anything untill then. She stuttered through most of it."

Data looked thoroughly confused at Tasha's actions, but decided not to pursue the topic any more, from Jolene's subtle but existent impatientness.

-_About an hour later_

Tasha sat on her bed, silently brooding.

Why did she go and do that?

At the time, she'd thought that it had needed to be done, but she knew that if she'd actually thought about it, she could have avoided it, but no.

Mortification swept over her mind every time the encounter with Jolene sprung up.

She feverently wished it had never happened, but dang it, it had, and she had to live with it.

A thought struck her, and she sat up.

Why was she acting like this?

It was, atmittedly, strange. Could she -

No, she decided that was not it.

Anger boiled up inside her, bringing back images of Jolene's perfect hair, skin, ect.

For God's sake, she had to go DO something.

Tasha stood up and made for the doors. She didn't see a reason she couldn't go to Ten Forward and cool off, as long as THEY weren't there.

-----

"I can't stand it, Guinan! Or, I can't stand _her_."

Guinan surpressed a laugh as she looked over Tasha, just sitting there, with a defeated air, who was obviously suffering from insane jeaousy, and nothing else.

"Well, Tasha, why don't you just let your relationship settle itself out? I'm sure Data will see through this girl eventually."

Tasha sat bolt-upright.

"Relationship?"

Guinan smiled and sighed as she turned away from Tasha to get a drink for an ensign that had just sat down.

When she finished the task, she turned back to the girl.

"Yes, Tasha, relationship!"

Tasha blushed profusly. "I- It's not a relationship, it's just kind of a friendship, and-"

"Tasha, let's face it. You and Data have something special going on, and you're mad because this Jolene is bursting in to your wonderland."

"Guinan, we're just friends, I don't have any feeli-"

"That's what they all say, every one of them."

-  
_(Later, in Tasha's quarters) _

Tasha lay on her bed, just as she had been doing before her visit to Ten Forward.

She couldn't quite believe Guinan's assessment.

_Feelings?_

She didn't _get_ those kind of feelings.

Sure, she got hot, she got cold, it wasn't impossible for her to get like Quinan was suggesting, but it didn't really fit right in her mind.

_Something special....? _

That didn't seem to - her string of thoughts was harshly interrupted by the sharp chirp-chirp! of the door.

_Oh no. Oh no. Oh no... _Tasha sat up and straightened out her hair.

"Enter."

Her fears were confirmed.

None other than Data walked in to her quarters.


	4. Definatly Not a possibility

Hi, hello, ect.

This is, indubiously, the fourth chapter! I was suddenly inspired to write more after this girl, well, I don't think I'll go on about it, so everyone do me a favor and think, as hard as you can, die Kiana! Die Kiana! Also, please don't remember my saying this. See? My hand is waving around like in Star Wars, so you should just read the story and wait for the next chapter, which will definatly be better. Oh, I don't own ST.

* * *

"Data! I, uh, What are you doing here?"

Tasha couldn't stand her own patheticness, but couldn't find a way to keep silent. She never had been one of those people who always had the perfect thing to say.

Data sat down on the bed a few feet away from her, inadvertently causing Tasha to blush.

"It is not an important matter, but my friend, Jolene Charter(Tasha winced, much to her mortification) has expressed concern in the way you have been acting recently. I came to see if you are all right."

"Y-Yes! I'm perfectly fine, Data," she stuttered. Her mind raced as she waited for his response. What on earth is WRONG with me? She thought.

Data tilted his head. "I am glad to hear that, Tasha. Jolene(Tasha managed to catch herself this time) has told me you seemed rather," he paused to find the right word. "uncomfortable around her."

_Could this situation be any more horrible?_ "It's.. nothing, Data. I was just having a bad day," she replied, hoping her excuse would satisfy him, but no.

"Tasha, I believe you dislike Jolene."

Tasha had no idea why he was mentioning this.

"Well, maybe a little bit. It's not really important."

At last, at long last, Data seemed happy with the result. "In that case, I will go now. I hope your day gets better, Tasha." And with that, he left.

Tasha colapsed backwards on the bed, thoroughly glad he was gone.

She generally enjoyed her time with him, but this was not her idea of an entertaining evening. That _girl _had cuased her so much embarrassment, and she'd only been on board a day.  
Out of complete coincidence, she happened to glance at a digital clock sitting on a table. She wasn't to surprised to learn it was bedtime. _It certinly feels like it..._

_The next day, in Ten Forward, once again..._

Data and Jolene sat across from each other once more, talking.

Or, rather, Jolene talked, constantly brushing her hair back, and Data listened politly. With the exception of once or twice.

"I have spoken to Tasha, Jolene. She seems to.. dislike you."

Jolene looked horrified. "dislike me? But Data, surely you misheard her, or something..!"

"I cannot be completly(at this he inclined his head for emphasis)sure, but she has been acting very strangly since you came aboard."

"Oh Data, this is horrible! I hope I can talk to her later," she said, seeming to be perfectly upset.

If Data looked closer, he would have seen Jolene sneak an evil smile, but unfortunatly no.

"Pehaps, Jolene, you can visit her tomorrow. She might need a day to 'cool off'," he suggested. Jolene sighed. "I guess you're right... I'll visit her then." she paused, and then resumed talking about other things as if Tasha had never existed.

_Tasha's Quarters, same time_

Tasha hadn't set foot outside her cabin since Data had come by.

Except for work, of course, but besides that, she had spent, more or less, the enitre day looking out a window and thinking.

She really didn't want to go out and listen to Guinan tell her she was in love with Dat- no, she didn't want to even think it.

It was definatly not a possibility, most definatly not.

She just didn't like Jolene. The way she flirted with Data, her infuriating angelic demeanor, just everything about her made Tasha grit her teeth.

The conversation between her and Data played over and over in her mind, stinging more each time._ She's probably with Data right now, she thought_. Flirting and batting her eyes like there's no tomorrow...

She gazed out towards a pinkish cloud floating in space, all thoughts just blipping out.

Suddenly, she had a thought.

Could Quinan be right? Could I have... _feelings_ for him? She half dismissed the thought, but then thought better of it.

Is there really anything wrong with having these feelings?

Do I.. she paused, as if she were talking aloud, Love him?

* * *

Well, it could be better, much better, but I'm not good at rushing things. I swear I'll have the next one up by Tuesday. Maybe even in a few mintutes, as I never can sleep. I think i'm noctournal. Or however you spell it.

-Gogglette


	5. Just read the first sentence

**Ok, this is the short pointless chapter that you don't really have to read all the way. It is completly stuff I made up to fill in the gap in which Tasha realizes she loves Data, and you only have to read the first sentence and wait for the next chapter. Which will come soon, probably today, just be patient. Oh, and if you can, could you please tell me how you like my Glo-Stick analogy? I worked _so _hard on it..**

**Reveiws make my world go round! Oh, and please forgive my few misspellings. I tend to make up my own words, so those who don't speak my language might be a little confused. I'm still trying to fiure out if 'Dizzifying' is a word. My parents say no, but I say yes.**

* * *

_Yes_, Tasha decided. She loved Data.

The thought ran around in her head, becoming easier to think with each circuit completed.

She couldn't believe it, but on the other hand, it seemed perfect.

She was currently standing on the bridge, watching Data out of the corner of her eye. It was like having a cold, and trying not to let anyone know it.

Tasha felt grim amusement watching Data, just sitting there, completly oblivious to the fact she was thinking about him.

She looked back on the last two days, when she had seen Data and Jolene talking, when Guinan had told her what she should have figured out sooner.

_I wonder what the others think when they see me. Do they wonder what I'm thinking? Do they see through my facade? Could they possibly know what I'm thinking?_ Of course not, she thought, decidedly.

It's impossible. She looked around, just to see if anyone happened to be glancing her way.

Her thoughts blossemed out; she worked each idea like one of those old phosphorescent sticks, cracking each one untill it was fully glowing, and then setting it aside, lighting up her mind.

She looked around once more, mainly to find a secure place in reality, so she wouldn't lose herself in her thoughts.

The same red carpeting lined the walls, which sloped up to meet at the lined ceiling. It had always looked like stained glass, for some reason. Maybe it was.

The Computer beeped at her, marking the end of her shift. She strode out of the room, feeling strangly confident. There was something rather... nice to have admitted this to herself.

Now, to deal with _her._


	6. Jolene:The insider

**Ok, here's a chapter from Jolene's POV, all the way. I think it'll be interesting enough. I think I'm losing Tasha's personality, just a bit, and I needed to make another chapter while I go back and watch some episodes. I purposly wrote the end the same way, just for fun. Tell me what you think!**

* * *

_Set in Jolene's quarters---_

Jolene paced nervously.

She had reluctantly taken Data's avice, and had decided to speak to Tasha, sometime soon.

She wished the girl didn't mean so much to Data, it really got in the way.

She knew, deep down, that that girl had been there first, but she really didn't care.

For the first time in her life, Jolene Charter had a rival.

She didn't know that Androids could feel, but it certinly did seem like Data thought of her as more than a friend.

She couldn't understand why he wasn't like all the other men she'd met in her lifetime.

Of course, he was definatly not human, but that was why she needed to win him.

He was definatly different then all the other guys, with appearence and all, but he wasn't obsessed with her, the way all the others were.

She now had a sense of purpose, a goal.

When she had entered the academy, she hadn't discovered all she was capable of.

It took her several months to realize she had all the men at her fingertips, if she painted them just right.

After that, she had become the very object of hatred in all the other girls eyes, and she knew it.

But she had never tried to change that, in fact, she rather liked it. How could she help it? After _all, I am human_.. she thought, as she sat down before a mirror and ran a comb through her silky orange hair, more for her self-esteem then anything else.

I've never had to do much to please them, only to be with them, but now she actually had to do something, and something she had never dreamed of doing.

She knew Tasha despised her, and the only thing that would make her happy would be to have Data back, but if Jolene let that happen, she wouldn't have Data, or at least the little bit she had now.

She put down the comb and gazed in to the Mirror. Her large brown eyes blinked back. She noticed the mascara was a little off on on, so she corrected it and resumed pacing.

Finally, she decided she was ready enough. She walked through the doors.

Now, to deal with _her_.


End file.
